Lift with VSC answer.....

Mine would go off with the same level of lift , tires , wheels and weight you are talking about

 

I'm a new Taco owner (3/28/12) and the whole VSC conversation has me nervous.

I love the truck and I'm looking to add a 3" Pro Comp Lift and 285/65 R18's. But, it sounds like that may create problems.

Any thoughts?

 

Maybe , maybe not .

No way to tell till you do it

 

I have had my truck back to the dealer 3 times now for this, and I think it is finally resolved. The first time they didn't find or do anything. The second time I requested a friend of mine who works there work on my truck, and forwarded him a link to this thread. He got on the phone with Toyota's master techs and they had him recalibrate the yaw sensor, as well as the steering wheel sensor. Turns out my steering wheel was off. Those 2 fixes helped a little to the point that my wheels no longer locked up, but the VSC light still blinked and beeped when I went around a sharp turn going 30-40. I took it back in and they found that some yahoo had inflated my tires to 50psi. So they brought that back down to 35psi and I have yet to encounter the problem since.

 

I think you guys don't know what you are talking about when you say the vsc isn't turned off completely when at a dead stop and the traction control button is depressed for 3 seconds. I turn it off just like the owner manual instructs you to, and rip on up a hill speedometer reading 90+ while I might be doing 30 with the tire smoking! NO BEEPS! NO BRAKES PULSING! Straight drifting with a completely open differential.

 

Ya , well you're wrong , it still lurks in the background , but at a significantly lower sensitivity

 

Dude...no worries man! I have a 2010 dbl cab that I lifted with a Pro Comp stage 2, 6" at home in my own driveway. This VSC issue is easily corrected by a good alignment tech that wants your ride working as advertised when it leaves his hands and another thing that helps is an alignment rack that just had a calibration done. Obviously this VSC issue is common enough to give people the heebiejeebie about toying with their TACO. I had the same exact problem the moment I took mine for a test drive after lifting it. I drove it like that for about 6-7 months... It wasn't a huge issue, just doesn't feel all that normal and can catch you off guard but if you wreck your junk cuz of it.... A person should really consider other modes of transportation and Probly never get behind a wheel again. Look... Lift your truck, then take it for an alignment and thouroughly explain the issue and everything you did to it. Maybe I got lucky.... I don't know, but the day I made the appointment for mine to get done, the alignment guy way thrilled about doing it and we chatted about the problem for roughly an hour. On the day of my appointment, he called me and canceled because he said the alignment machine needed to be calibrated. Three weeks later they got it calibrated and my truck was the first to be done on a freshly caled machine. Alignment guy explained everything he did and was thrilled he was able to align it and get that VSC to stop its BS. Still to this day I have not had an issue since the alignment. One thing he did tell me was the steering wheel position sensor (located on the steering shaft) is very sensitive and key to getting rid of the VSC problem. And yes my VSC works when it is supposed to!
Good luck! Don't be discouraged! And find a good alignment tech! Problem solved.

 

CCFBERG, thanks for the info. I really want to add a lift because they just look better with one. But, I didn't want to create work (or another expense) for myself.

The lift will be my next project.

 

Quick update: I have my new 2012 TRD double cab and it's awesome!!!

Mods just completed or will be shortly:

Power moonroof
265/75R16 BFG A/T tires on stock wheels
SnugTop with windoors/etc
Custom Baja Rack "Mule" that mounts directly to SnugTop rails
Avid light bar and bolt on sliders with PIAA 525s (not getting a plate bumper)
Pioneer AVIC-Z140BH with Alpine amp and custom subwoofer
Alarm system
Front mud flaps trimmed

Which brings me to the lift. The new tires raised everything about an inch and I'd like maybe an inch more (again with the hope of no VSC fun). I have decided against the Icon suspension, and have eliminated spacer lifts. I'm considering Bilstein 5100s set at .85 in the front and maybe the Billys for the rear as well (which don't add height). Am wondering if that is sufficient without needing to bring up the rear slightly (probably using an AAL since a 1" block seems to be a bad idea). This is for serious offroading (but not rock crawling); I just want a little more clearance without nanny system problems. Reliability is the number one priority, followed by slightly increased clearance underneath the vehicle; the cosmetic effect of lifting slightly is nice but unimportant to me (along with leveling).

I'm thinking 5100s on the front and no changes to the rear suspension (but adding a shell and cargo) might cause to much rake to the rear (and possible VSC headaches). Should I really install an AAL as part of this mod (and if so, which one)? And an AAL increases clearance while a block does not, yes?

Advice appreciated, pictures when all is finished, thanks.

 

If you don't do something to beef up the rear and plan on carrying gear and a cap full time , be prepared for bro lean

 

Yeah, cap full time, gear part time. The BajaRack Mule will add some weight as well. Only plan on mounting an ARB awning (which was just delivered), shovel/axe and possibly firewood when loaded for the desert. Not likely to mount jerry cans up there and definitely not the spare.

So that means 5100s all-around for sure and...which AAL (for the TRD off road three leaf pack)? Again, not towing, don't need/want a super stiff ride. Best brand/part for my configuration? Any comments on this setup (given the specifics of what I'm trying to achieve) and the effect on VSC? Will 5100s last 50k miles or more (not jumping the truck, just wheeling, and about 10k/year or less)?

 

Oh, and I understand that what really improves clearance are larger wheels and tires (which a lift allows). When I asked the owner of the suspension company that will do the install about it, he said that (at least for spacers in the front and a block in the rear) that spacers actually do increase clearance, but not the block. More clearance at the front end is my main goal.

So I'm guessing that that 5100s (set to .85) and an AAL will provide increased clearance both front and rear (haven't asked the suspension guy about that yet)...is this correct? If there is no benefit to clearance under the vehicle, then no reason for me to do it (I'm staying with factory 16" wheels and 265/75R16 tires).

Can someone confirm/clarify this?

 

Folks tend to have too narrow a definition of "clearance."

Lifting the rear with add-a-leaf or block improves your departure angle and also the size of the rock you can traverse by "putting a wheel on it" without taking out a rear fender.

 

Most people myself included are experiencing tire rub when the vsc is activated. Removing all tire rub remove all activation of my vsc when it was not supposed to be activated. You don't hear the tire rub sometimes because of all the other crap it's going off with vsc.

 

BJ: good point, as departure angle has made a big difference in some of the situations I've been in previously (crossing V-shaped gullies).

But will 5100s actually increase the distance between the frame and the ground at the front (I'm having trouble envisioning how)? In other words, since I'm not going to larger wheels, what do I really gain with a 5100/AAL lift (other than the two things BJ mentioned)?

While the overall clearance (measuring the lowest points under the truck) is a half inch better than my (lifted) 4Runner, there's more low "stuff" (including part of the exhaust) at the front of the Tacoma. If the 5100s simply raise the upper part of the vehicle but the exhaust pipe stays at the same level (9.5"), then I don't see a whole lot of benefit (beyond approach/departure angles and fender clearance).

My area of expertise lies completely outside of this, so any further light anyone can shed on what this modification I'm describing would really do would be very helpful. With limited upside (pun intended) and the risk of VSC shenanigans, it might not be worth doing anything beyond the larger tires. But another inch or so would be worth it to me...

 

Not my issue

 

only larger tires can do that

 

Well, that's what I thought from what I've learned online the past few months. But the suspension guy tried to tell me "yes and no" with spacers and a block (which I considered briefly after eliminating the Icon system); yes at the front, no at the rear. Both Toytec and the suspension guy were telling me different things about spacers as well, which made me wonder who I could actually trust. I feel like I'll get unvarnished info here for sure LOL.

Sounds like no real benefit other than fender clearance and approach/departure angles.

 

I have to disagree with OZ here.

Yes, 5100s, longer springs, coils spacer, or in fact any suspension lift will raise the FRAME in the front, even if the tire size stays the same.

5100s raise the spring perch at one of several settings (.85, 1.75, 2.5)

This increases the distance from the perch (which is a fixed distance from the spindle - and therefore at a distance from the ground determined by tire size) to the top plate mount point - which is in fact a point on the frame.

This improved clearance under the splash pan and differential, approach angle, breakover angle, and the clearance between the rockers and the ground (which determines how large an obstacle you can traverse by "putting a wheel on it")

 

Here is a link where I attempt to explain ground clearance a little better:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/su...-explain-me-ground-clearance.html#post3749601